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Connections Adult Literacy

New Hampshire Humanities adult literacy program Connections brings the best of children’s and young adult literature and New Hampshire Humanities-trained discussion facilitators to more than 500 adult learners each year.

Quality books and stimulating discussions promote English language skills, cultivate conversations about ideas, reinforce family literacy, support a culture of reading, and encourage civic engagement. Connections works in partnership with adult basic education and ESOL classes, refugee resettlement organizations, services for adults with developmental disabilities and state and county prisons. Participants are both native speakers and new Americans.

Connections participants keep the books they read; incarcerated parents send them home to their children along with a recording of their personal reading. Each four-week series is organized around a theme such as “Planting the Earth,” “Home in New England,” “Picturing America’s Stories,” “Journeys,” “Give Me Liberty,” “A Day’s Work,” and “A Sense of Place.” In addition to book discussions, Connections offers an annual celebration of family literacy including poetry readings, folktale festivals and author talks from luminaries such as Lois Lowry in 2014, Tomie dePaola in 2015, and Juan Felipe Herrera in 2018.

Photo above: Students in our Connections program celebrating the humanities at the New Hampshire Humanities Annual Dinner. Photo by Deb Cram.

"Connections is an example of New Hampshire Humanitiesidentifying a real need, rallying partners around it,and coming up with a real solution."

Ken Sheldon, Bank of America

For Teachers and Program Coordinators

Here is a list of resources you'll need when planning and conducting your Connections series.

How to apply: Adult literacy program coordinators or teachers can apply for one series per class per year. Participants read up to four books over four weeks. Book discussions can be held over four consecutive weeks, every other week, or once per month. Programs meet during regular class times. Connections provides books, matches a New Hampshire Humanities trained book discussion facilitator with the program and coordinates dates for the program. The host provides the classroom, audio-visual equipment, paper and writing implements, and prepares the students for the upcoming program. Many teachers like to provide refreshments during the discussions to create a festive atmosphere. The teacher and facilitator can select themes and books together and coordinate preparatory materials such as vocabulary lists. The teacher also submits an evaluation at the conclusion of the program. To apply, download the checklist, application and accompanying forms, complete the application and send it as an attachment to Terry Farish, Connections Coordinator.

Connections book discussion facilitators are writers, professors, artists, teachers, librarians, scholars and others who are passionate about sharing literature and discussing ideas with adult learners. Facilitators coordinate class preparation with the teacher, research authors and historical contexts of the books, prepare materials and activities for book discussions and lead discussions and activities. Many facilitators bring what they love to Connections: writing and drama exercises, cooking, art, artifacts, music and more. Connections discussions are lively and fun!

The Connections book database enables teachers and facilitators to search for classic books. You can search by author, title, reading level, theme, and genre. For instance, if you click on themes, you can scroll to find one that is interesting to you. When you click on a theme, you'll see a list of books that are available.

The Connections book database enables teachers and facilitators to search for classic books. You can search by author, title, reading level, theme, and genre. For instance, if you click on themes, you can scroll to find one that is interesting to you. When you click on a theme, you'll see a list of books that are available.

For Facilitators

Connections book discussion facilitators are writers, professors, artists, teachers, librarians, scholars and others who are passionate about sharing literature and discussing ideas with adult learners. Facilitators lead up to four discussion series and participate in one or two New Hampshire Humanities sponsored trainings per year. Many facilitators bring what they love to Connections: writing and drama exercises, cooking, art, artifacts, music and more. Connections discussions are lively and fun!